Deciding between a contract and a permanent Technical Author

Flickr vacancy image CC by LOLen One question that seems to being asked a lot by our clients at the moment, is whether they should hire a permanent or a contract Technical Author.

At first sight, it may appear that a contractor will cost more than taking someone on as an employee, but that’s not always the case. With a contractor, you’re only paying for the days that person works. You’re not paying for public holidays (8 days), sick pay (the UK average is 5 day’s absence per year), the employee’s holiday (20-25 days), employers’ National Insurance contribution (12%), pension, health insurance, training and career development, plus any other benefits an employee might expect (mobile phone, laptop, company car etc). You’re also not paying an upfront recruitment agency fee for hiring an employee.

The decision between a permanent person and a contractor may be based on reasons other than cost. If you want to build a team or company culture, or have the same staff for a long term, you’re more likely to want to want an employee. If work comes in peaks and troughs, where there may not be enough work in some periods, you’re more likely to want a contractor. You may be able to get a contractor in more quickly than hiring someone on a permanent basis (where there may be a time-consuming recruitment process). Each have their merits.

How do you make the decision between the two options? You can share your thoughts below.

Flickr image: LOLren

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